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.AI&X BARRAS.
WITH the possibility of a long and strenuous war, one's thoughts
turn to the effect this will have on cricket throughout Eng-
land and Australia-cricket, whether played on village greens-or
on Test match fields where no man dares to fail. Already many
leading English cricketers have changed their flannels for a military
uniform. Hammond, Allen, Compton, Hutton and Sutcliffe have
in the past few weeks joined various units in the British Army.
Nearer home comes the news that many Shield players will
be unavailable for this season's games. Barnett, Scott, Brown, and
Fleetwood-Smith will probably be first affected in Australia, but,
even with the loss of these players, the game will go on as before.
Cricket is, and will remain, in spite pf certain dictatorships, an
integral part in the life of a Britisher, and although many outstand-
ing personalities may be lost to the game, new faces wiH arise tp
take their places.
CRICKET.
Dunstan's Match-winning
Effort.
'THE outstanding feature of Saturday's
"A" grade cricket was Glen Dunstan's
magnificent fighting knock to give Mt.
Lawley victory over Claremont. Dunstan.
the efficient keeper for his team, has not
been recognised as a batsman to date,
but the manner in which he handled the
bowling of Eyres convinces one that there
is more in this player than just keeping
wickets. With only tail-enders left, Dun-
stan intelligently played for the strike,
and fittingly enough made the winning*
bit. Essentially an on-side player, he
would do well at the practice nets to con-
centrate in future on off-side play. His
best shots were two lovely drives, one off
GLEN DUNSTAN, Mt. Lawley, keeper-batsman. Help
GLEN DUNSTAN, Mt. Lawley,
keeper-batsman.
Eyres and the other at Elliott's expense.
This knock definitely won the game for
Mt. Lawley and the greater part of any
credit must go to Dunstan.
After a long period, of "outs" Wally
Kimpton returned to form with a neat
32 before the slow spinner, Baird, caused
his downfall. Kimpton, at one stage of
his career, looked to be one of the State's
brightest players, but with the exception
of one season he has been a dismal fail-
ure. However, this well-compiled score
may be the turning for better things.!
Probably there is no finer fieldsman in
the game than Kimpton and his value
to a team in this department is inestim-
able.
Young George Robinson, the bespec-
tacled son of that former great all-round
sportsman, Alex Robinson, is steadily ful-
filling early predictions that he was a
_ State player of the near future. He was
" unluckily run out after scoring a solid
33. Robinson's cricket has been founded
on the right lines, his defensive play
being splendid. At the moment he ap-
pears to lack a little confidence, but this
will quickly come with a few good scores.
Dick Bryant also reached the twenties,
but brother Bill's meagre 12 runs was the
more impressive hand. Bill looks to be
on the edge of a successful season.
Against a fair attack the Mt. Lawley
batting was consistently good, which
augers well for the club.
Gordon Eyres (5 for 67) trundled
effectively, but is obviously short of prac-
tice. Eyres in form is a batsman's night-
mare and much of the Claremont team's
success is due to his ability to keep oppos-
ing scores down to a reasonable total.
"Swinger" Elliott bowled "his medium
fast deliveries accurately,^getting three
cheap wickets. Although Jack is not the
bowler of old, he still has enough "devil"
to make batsman play him with a full
faced blade. The Claremont fielding was
patchy, but Eddie Edwards once again
confirmed the opinion that he is the equal
of any keeper in the State.
Subiaco Win Easily.
Subiaco had little difficulty in passing
West Perth's 162. A good, if somewhat
lucky, start from Sid Briggs and Allan
Jeffreys laid the foundation of a big
score. Briggs played many neat shots in
his 28, but, like many other batsmen
early in the year, wasva little "edgy."
Jeffreys's was a laborious knock, but a
valuable one from a team point of view.
A little more initiative from this player
would give hun a much needed confidence
in his stroke play; but more of this later.
Bert Drew played an entertaining in-
nings for 63 not out. Starting scratchily
against the medium-fast bowlers, he soon,
however, settled down to score all round
the wicket. Drew is not frightened to
lift the ball, and in his knock were seven
fours and a six. Bert will be a tower
of strength to Subiaco this year. Dave
Watt and Keith Jeffreys opened the sea-
son {disastrously, but if these youngsters
are not soon , among the runs I will be
very surprised.
Of the bowlers, Keith Butler, although
failing to take a wicket, was easily the
best. Butler in his opening overs con-
tinually found the edge of the bat, but
chances were not accepted by the slip
fieldsmen. He was very accurate through-
out the afternoon, and batsmen found
him hard to get away.
Charlie Puckett's debut into "A" grade
cricket was watched with interest in view
of his sensational form in last season's
Mercantile competition. He picked up
two wickets {the Jeffreys brothers), but
after the shine left the ball he gave bats-
men little trouble. In my opinion, to
be successful he will have to quicken up !
a little. However, it is early to fore- I
cast his success or otherwise.
Allan Edwards showed bis versatility by
capturing two wickets with his left-arm
spinners. Edwards bowled a fair length,
varying his pace nicely, and gave de-
finite signs of promise as a bowler. -The
feature of West Perth's out cricket was
Shea's splendid fielding. Shea is one of
the best cover-points in the-State.
ning start with a beautifullyimade 70.
This was by far tile best knock of the
'afternoon at Fremantle, Graceful cut-
ting and driving.scored many runs for
Inverarity, and bis-innings was chance
less. "" - . ' ".*
Used as an opener, Cedric Bell gave
his team a good start and, although he
was rather .slow in making his 57 runs,
critics should remember that Bell is only
making a start as a batsman, bowling
being his main forte to date. Conse- j
quently Saturday's effort was a splendid!
one in the circumstances.
A scintillating partnership between Bill
Roach and Norm Allnutt later in the
Fremantle innings saw any chance of an
East Perth victory put beyond doubt.
Both players hit freely, Allnutt scoring
two sixers and Roach one. When in a
runmaking mood Roach, a diminutive
left-hander, is one of the most attrac-
tive players in the game, and it is amaz-
ing where his power comes from. Cer-
tainly he was favoured with more than
his share of luck in this game, but the
player who is always willing to take a
risk deserves to be smiled upon by for-
tune. Allnutt was, as always, in an
aggressive frame of mind. Norm is one
of the few hitters left jn the game, and
an innings Tröm him is always a treat
to watch.
Jack Murdoch finished with two wic-
kets for eight runs, but even Jack does
not take his bowling seriously. Young
Roberts, a left-arm bowler, promoted
from the Seconds, Impressed more than
anyone though failing to take a wicket.
Jack Wilberforce had the doubtful
honour of being the first bowler to have
a century scored off him, but he picked
up Bell and Inverarity in his bag of three
wickets.
Shocking Display by N. E.
Fremantle.
Little can be said about the North Pertb
N.E. Fremantle game, which was won by
an innings by the former club. Never has
there been weaker opposition than that
offered by the North-Easterners to their
visitors. Seriously weakened by the ab-
sence of leading players, owing to mili-
tary duties, N.E. Fremantle were dis-
missed for 18 in the first innings and 62
in the second.
Chas. MacGill finished the game with
five for, 12 and one for 10, but any-true
indication of his form cannot be gauged
from this game. Tony Zimbulis, 4 for
19, was not tested, and the same can be
said in his case. Although gaining full
points for their innings victory, I can
honestly say that the North Perth players
enjoyed this game least of all.
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